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Every Lab MP should copy Chris Williamson’s excellent WiW video idea

Derby North Labour MP Chris Williamson was promoted this week to the front-bench position of Shadow Minister for Fire and Rescue Services and has got straight to grips with his brief by, among other things, engaging with the Justice4Grenfell group to the discomfort of the right-wing press.

But Williamson has also instituted an excellent innovation since his return to Parliament: a regular ‘Week in Westminster’ video report on events in Parliament that gives his constituents – and everyone else – an insight into the things that the government is trying to get away with and what Labour is doing to thwart them.

Here’s last weekend’s report, in which Chris looks at the Tories’ DUP bung, the government’s chaos, the impact of both on Northern Ireland, Murdoch’s Sky bid and more:

Every Labour MP should emulate this fantastic way of engaging with the public, exposing the Tories and showing what MPs are doing each week.

For that matter, the SKWAWKBOX would welcome the Tories copying this too, just as they’re planning to try to use cash to create (seriously!) a ‘Tory Momentum’. To a Tory everything’s for sale, but they just don’t get that you can’t buy the passion and the ‘above and beyond’ commitment that have helped drive Labour’s surge.

Can you imagine the Tory equivalent?

I spent this week trying to look strong and stable and cheered while voting to cut the pay of nurses and firemen. Then I talked to some DUP MPs about how we’d stop women having a say over their own body and to slip them a bit more cash from our magic money tree.

I also campaigned to be able to ride my horse and watch a pack of dogs tear an animal to shreds and did some guffawing during PMQs.

But at the very least, every Labour MP should follow Chris Williamson’s example in giving the public a window into Parliament and politics.

Even the ‘moderates’. It would put the case for deselection beyond argument.

If you want to keep up with Chris’ weekly videos, follow him on Facebook – and if your MP does, or decides to do, something similar, let the SKWAWKBOX know about it via the comments.

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In ireland, all elected Sinn Fein representatives (local councillors, members of the NI assembly, members of the Dàil and members of the european parliament) have been producing short videos like this for ages . It’s a great way to communicate with voters and increase supporters by showing what the Party has been doing and the issues they are focussing on etc.